The history of the Marine Corps began when two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting both at sea and on shore. In the Pacific theater of World War II the Corps took the lead in a massive campaign of amphibious warfare, advancing from island to island. As of 2017, the USMC has around 186,000 active duty members and some 38,500 reserve Marines. It is the smallest U.S. military service within the DoD.

This month in USMC history

On August 17, 1942, the 2d Marine Raider Battalion, under LtCol Evans F. Carlson, landed on Makin Island from the submarines Nautilus and Argonaut. Over the following 24 hours, they killed about 100 Japanese soldiers and destroyed a seaplane base, two radio stations and a supply warehouse.

Did you know...?

... the term "Leatherneck" for a Marine came from 1798, when the Marine Corps began issuing "one stock of black leather and clasp" to Marines. The band of leather was used to protect the neck when fighting with swords.

... Archibald Henderson, the Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps, established the idea of the Marines as “ready to fight”, however, in his time, fighting units were formed by gathering up Marines from Navy ships and shore stations.

... Until 1900, the size of the Corps had never exceeded 3,000 Marines and had been armed almost entirely with rifles.

... before "Semper Fidelis" became the Marine Corps official motto in 1883, there were three unofficial mottos: "By Sea and by Land," "Fortitudine," and "To the shores of Tripoli."

Selected quote

"Earning the title Marine is not the end of the journey, it’s just the beginning. If we strive to live up to all it means to be a Marine, that journey is a challenging one – but one worth the effort. Each of us raised our right hand, swore an oath, made a commitment, and embarked on a life of service. That oath has no caveats or an expiration date."